


Revenge

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 11:06:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11827452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Dunya gets revenge on Ydris after he trapped her in the cage. Jack and Rusty belong to SSO-Jack-Wolfwatcher and Dunya belongs to star-stable-is-awesome on tumblr.





	Revenge

Jack must have fallen asleep near one of the pig pens, because his surroundings stank. Wrinkling his nose, he sat up and looked around. And froze.

“Okay, I’m pretty sure I didn’t fall asleep inside a fucking volcano,” said Jack.

“You didn’t,” said a voice from below him. Jack tried to stand, but the ground beneath his feet tilted and wobbled, sending him stumbling painfully to his knees.

“Who’s there?” asked Jack, crawling over to the edge of the cage that he found himself in. He looked down and, before the vertigo sent him scrabbling backwards, Jack saw a girl with spiky black hair and glowing red eyes.

“I warned that wizard that I would get revenge,” said Dunya. “And now I have.”

“By putting me in a cage? Yeah, real nice,” said Jack with a roll of his eyes as he settled himself against the bars of his cage. It was uncomfortable, but at least he had a somewhat-solid surface at his back. He just had to not think about the fact that he was hanging suspended over what he assumed was lava. Whatever it was, it made the cage very hot. Jack pulled his shirt off and wiped his face with it.

“What’s that you’re wearing?” asked Dunya, and Jack could just imagine her peering up at him.

“It’s a binder,” said Jack.

“And what does that do?” asked Dunya.

“It helps with the dysphoria until I can get top surgery,” said Jack. He really hoped that Dunya wasn’t going to use this information against him.

“What are those things?” asked Dunya. She sounded genuinely curious.

“Am I really explaining being trans to a demon?” asked Jack. “Is that really what my life has come to?”

“Well, it is rather boring, just waiting here,” said Dunya.

“You did tell Ydris that you were holding me hostage, didn’t you?” asked Jack. There was silence, and then the sound and smell of paper burning. Jack smirked.

“I have now,” said Dunya. “Now, the only thing to do is wait for your boyfriend to come rescue you.”

“He’s my fiancé now,” said Jack. “You know what that is, don’t you?”

“Yes,” said Dunya. “I know about relationships. I’m in one, so I thought it was a good idea to learn all I could about them.”

“And why are you asking me about this other stuff?” asked Jack. “Doesn’t it feel weird, being in the wrong body?”

“I don’t care about that,” said Dunya. “This form may have its problems, but it’s only because it’s a human form and I’d prefer something bigger and more powerful.”

“I’ve been in the wrong body twice,” said Jack. “And I still am. It sucks.”

“Can’t you ask your wizard to change it?” asked Dunya.

“I could,” said Jack. “But it’d feel like cheating. And who’s to say that it’ll work, or that it can’t be reversed?”

“Magic should be used,” said Dunya. “What’s the point of having magic if you don’t solve all your problems with it?”

“We both agree that it’s too risky to try,” said Jack. “So I’m going to do this the human way.”

“Boring,” said Dunya.

“At least it’s more trustworthy,” said Jack. “More certain.”

“Well, we’ll see how trustworthy your fiancé is soon,” said Dunya. “He seems to be taking his time. If he’s so powerful, why couldn’t he teleport here?”

“Because of all the invisible walls,” said Jack.

“The what? Oh, you mean the wards,” said Dunya. “Yes, I hadn’t considered that.”

“How’d you get me in here?” asked Jack.

“I climbed,” said Dunya. “Alessa calls it the suffer climb. But I have mastered it.” Jack could just imagine her striking a heroic pose, and he chuckled.

“Maybe Ydris can fly up the mountain or something,” said Jack. “But he’ll get here eventually.”

“If you think so,” said Dunya.

The reason it was taking Ydris so long to get there was because he kept hitting his head on the hanging icicles and overhanging ice shelves. One cracked, and he shivered as snow poured down his coat.

“Having fun?” asked Rusty, the trusty little Icelandic that had volunteered to go on this mission.

“It’s not supposed to be fun,” said Ydris. He’d been surprised when Jack’s horses had answered him upon asking if anyone wanted to go on a quest, but it made sense. He was a powerful magician, after all, it made sense that he could speak with Jack’s horses.

“Just wait until you get to the suffer climb, my friend,” said Rusty. “Then the fun will truly begin!”

“I thought it was ponies that were evil,” said Ydris. “But I guess, the shorter they are, the more evil they become.”

“Well, it holds true for the little demon who imprisoned Jack,” said Rusty, jumping over a log and nickering as Ydris’ head crashed into an ice shelf.

“Hey, warn me next time!” said Ydris.

“Watch the road,” said Rusty, amusement in his tone. “You know, it would have been easier if we’d just cut across the lake. That would’ve saved so much time.”

“I don’t trust that lake,” said Ydris. 

“Alright, suit yourself,” said Rusty.

When they finally reached the base of the mountain where the suffer climb began, Ydris stared up at it.

“You seriously expect me to climb that?” asked Ydris.

“I’ll do most of the work,” said Rusty. “You just hold on.” So Ydris did hold on, cringing close to Rusty’s back as the little Icelandic hopped up the mountain and was soon trotting along the mountain-top.

Ydris only relaxed when Rusty’s hooves were once more on solid, albeit volcanic, ground. Ydris looked around in slight fear as Rusty cantered through a series of weird, spiky formations. It was very warm in here, but Ydris didn’t want to waste time taking his coat off. He could put up with sweating like a pig for Jack’s sake.

“Now where do we go?” asked Rusty once they reached the end of the road.

“Hmm… I’ve heard about this place,” said Ydris. “Apparently, there’s a way into the volcano through the side of it.”

“Hopefully it’s small enough for you to get through,” said Rusty.

“Well, it’s difficult to reach on horseback, so I’ll have to go on foot,” said Ydris, dismounting the little Icelandic.

“That’s okay, I’ll be fine here,” said Rusty. “All alone. In a volcanic wasteland. Undefended.” Ydris petted Rusty’s nose, knowing that the horse was being completely serious.

“I will be right back with Jack,” said Ydris. Rusty turned his head away, and Ydris wandered into the spiky rock formations. He felt like he should return to the path, but Jack needed him.

After almost rolling his ankle several times, Ydris finally fell through what he’d thought was solid rock. He stumbled, and then straightened up. Now, he had no choice but to remove his coat and shirt.

“If you think you’re going to seduce me into giving back your fiance, I have news for you,” said Dunya. “Even if I were interested, you are not much to look at.”

“Hey, don’t talk about him like that,” said Jack. Ydris looked up at the sound of his fiance’s voice.

“Jack!” Ydris called. “I’m here now, it’s okay, I’ll get you out of there.”

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” said Dunya.

“What do you want?” asked Ydris, turning to face her. “An apology? Money? Services?”

“I want you to swear loyalty to me,” said Dunya. “I know that you are loyal to nobody, not even the druids despite your fiance’s involvement with them.”

“And that isn’t going to change,” said Ydris. “I know when to pick my battles, and this isn’t a battle that is going to end well for either side.”

“How can you remain so uninvolved when your fiancé is a major part?” asked Dunya.

“Because I know not to mix business with my personal life,” said Ydris. “So I will not swear loyalty to you, Garnok. I am no fool.”

“Fine,” Dunya snarled, her eyes and fists glowing. “Then suffer the consequences of your wrong decision.” The chain holding Jack’s cage up suddenly snapped, and it plummeted towards the lava.

“No!” Ydris cried, lunging for the pit of lava. But he was too late, and Jack’s cage shattered into pieces on the invisible forcefield over the lava. Jack lay in the middle, curled up on his side and cringing.

“What?” Dunya blurted, obviously as surprised as Jack and Ydris. “How? Why?”

“Maybe I’m lucky,” said Jack, staggering to his feet. Now that Ydris looked closer, he could see faint golden lines running through the forcefield. And he knew that, in the middle beneath the base of the cage, a lightning rune glowed brightly. Jack stumbled over to the volcanic rock ‘floor’ of the volcano, and fell into Ydris’ arms. The metal cage parts fell into the lava, melting, while Ydris hugged his trembling fiancé.

“Don’t ever threaten Jack again, demon,” said Ydris, glaring at the girl. Dunya scowled, and her eyes and hands glowed bright red. The lava seemed to glow brighter, too.

“This volcano isn’t called ‘Garnok’s Fury’ for nothing,” said Dunya, and cackled. Ydris ran out of the volcano with Jack, helping him climb over the stones, and ran to Rusty.

“Rusty boy!” Jack called, grinning in delight as he mounted his Icelandic.

“Finally! I thought you’d never come back,” said Rusty. Ydris climbed on behind Jack.

“We have to leave now,” said Ydris. “I think the demon is going to cause the volcano to erupt.”

They raced out as the volcano began to spit bits of molten rock into the air, both men shuddering as they reached the icy fog of Dino Valley. They picked their way across the mountains and down, Jack taking the route across the lake.

“Ydris didn’t want to cross the lake,” said Rusty. “He was scared.”

“The lake’s fine,” said Jack. “The elevator is risky, though, I’ll take the path up.”

Jack only slowed down once they reached the highland where Ydris’ tent was, and then they dismounted so that Jack could wrap his arms around his fiancé.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue,” said Jack.

“I’m sorry I caused her to kidnap you,” said Ydris, pressing a kiss to the top of Jack’s head.

“You didn’t cause that,” said Jack. “She’s the one who decided to get revenge on you.”

“See, this is why I usually keep out of that whole mess,” said Ydris. “I try to help, and look at what happens.”

“The lesson here is to never try,” said Jack. Ydris chuckled.

“I’m just so glad you’re safe,” said Ydris.

“Me too,” said Jack.


End file.
